A motorist involved in a bizarre series of collisions in Santa Ana that killed a motorcyclist and injured a good Samaritan pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a felony charge of driving under the influence.
Jesus Mendoza-Hernandez also faces a sentence-enhancing allegation of inflicting great bodily harm and a misdemeanor charge of driving without a valid license.
Meanwhile, an autopsy today on the motorcyclist — 24-year-old Dayton Hudson of Santa Ana — showed he died of blunt-force injuries to the head, neck and upper body, according to Orange County sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Hallock.
More charges could end up being filed in the case, but investigators are unsure whether Hudson had already sustained fatal injuries early Sunday upon losing control of his motorcycle on the southbound Costa Mesa (55) Freeway. The bike left the road and ended up on Ritchey, Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said.
The good Samaritan who was injured after stopping to render aid to Hudson was taken to an area hospital, but was expected to survive, Bertagna said.
Just before 1 a.m. Sunday, Santa Ana police were sent to 2100 S. Ritchey St. on a report of a motorcycle crash and, while the witness to the wreck was talking to a dispatcher, both he and the motorcycle rider were struck by Mendoza-Hernandez’s vehicle, police said.
Hudson was declared dead at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana about 7:50 p.m. Sunday.
Mendoza-Hernandez, whose bail was set at $100,000, was ordered to return to court on Oct. 1 for a pretrial hearing.
— City News Service